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Ferrari 458 Italia

Pininfarina designed the Ferrari 458 Italia, as well as many other Ferrari cars. The exterior design of the car maximizes its aerodynamics and draws inspiration from the Millechili concept and Enzo Ferrari.

The Ferrari 458 Italia is the latest mid-engine sports car from the Italian car maker. It came into production in 2009 to replace the Ferrari 430. The car has won multiple awards since its introduction to the market, including "Best Performance Engine" and "Best Engine Above 4 Liters" in the International Engine of the Year Awards. The Ferrari 458 Italia has won awards in the United States, Europe, and the Far East.

About the Ferrari 458 Italia

The Ferrari 458 Italia has become one of the most prominent sports cars in recent history. Its design, performance, and environmentally friendly features gain praise across the world. The interior of the car is designed according to the input of the former F1 driver Michael Schumacher, and it introduces a brand-new steering wheel design, which adds more controls and features that are traditionally included in the dashboard.

In the United States, the Ferrari 458 Italia won the "World Performance Car of the Year" in 2011. The New York Times ranked it as the number one car, and it was also named Car of the Year in the Robb Report. The Ferrari 458 Italia has become successful in Britain as well, where BBC Top Gear Magazine named it "Supercar of the Year" and it won several "Car of the Year" awards in 2009 and 2010. Moreover, CAR magazine named it the "Performance Car of the Year" in 2010, along with What Car? and Auto Express. Closer to home in Germany and Italy, the Ferrari 458 Italia was voted by Quattroruote and Auto Motor Und Sport magazines to be the "Best Sports Car."

One of the most iconic features of the Ferrari 458 Italia is its front grill, which features winglets that actually deform when the car reaches high speeds to improve air intake volume and reduce drag. The Ferrari 458 Italia's environmentally friendly features include reduced weight and fewer carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, the Italia is the first Ferrari to incorporate a "green" design.

Ferrari 458 Italia Features

The Ferrari 458 Italia incorporates a lot of technology from the Ferrari F1 department, and this shows in its performance. The Italia outclasses its predecessor, the Ferrari 430, in every way. The Ferrari 458 Italia runs on a 4.5-liter V-8 engine, which is a completely new product from the Ferrari-Maserati stable. This new engine produces 562 bhp at 9000 rpm and delivers a torque of 540 lb-ft at 6000 rpm. The supercar can deliver 80 percent of its torque at 3250 rpm. For the first time in its road car fleet, Ferrari adds a direct fuel injection system. At present, the Italia's V-8 engine holds the world record for the most power delivered per liter by a naturally aspirated car engine.

The Ferrari 458 Italia comes with a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. The traditional manual option is not available at all with this model, which makes it a part of Ferrari's elite list of cars including the 430 Scuderia, Challenge Stradale, California, and Enzo. It is the first ever mainstream Ferrari to not have a manual transmission.

The handling and suspension system of the Ferrari 458 Italia include double wishbones at the rear and front. The rear has a multi-link setup. The Italia also boasts an F1-Trac traction control system and E-Diff system, both of which help improve the car's ability to accelerate and corner by 32 percent, compared to its predecessors.

The performance of the Ferrari 458 Italia has been applauded all over the world. It clocks zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and tops 202 mph. This level of performance can be attributed to the brand new engine and the F1-inspired design of the Ferrari 458 Italia. The exterior styling of this car produces a downforce of 14 kg at 124 mph. The steering wheel of the Ferrari 458 Italia includes several controls, like that of an F1 car. When taken for a lap at the Top Gear test track, the Ferrari 458 Italia ran only 0.1 seconds slower than the Ferrari Enzo.

Ferrari 458 Italia Evolution

The Ferrari 458 Italia made its debut on September 15, 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It is classified as a two-door coupe with rear-wheel drive. The Italia entered into production in the year 2010. However, Ferrari recalled it after some time due to a problem in the wheel-arch assembly adhesive. The automaker replaced the damaged cars with new ones, and the problem was solved. All the specifications of the Ferrari 458 Italia remained unchanged in the 2011 and 2012 models.

Ferrari introduced the Italia as a new model for 2010, so everything about the car is fresh and exciting. From the sensational specific output of its V-8 to its new dual-clutch 7-speed, triple rear exhausts, newly designed tires, and super-thin aluminum skin (much of it just 1mm thick), the 458 showcases Ferrari technological wizardry at its very best.